By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Over 3,000 traders at the Kugbo Spare parts market today in a protest called for the removal of the market Chairman, Ebuka Alamanjo over mismanagement of traders funds and gross insecurity in the market.
Chairman of the Board of Trustee, BOT of the market, Mr Cajethan Udekwe who spoke with Daybreak today amidst the gathering of angry traders said the protest is a precipitation from secretive management of the affairs of the market such as the mismanagement of funds and breakdown of security in the market environment.
Udekwe said that the market is being shut down by traders to reject the continuous stay of Alamanjo as chairman.
He said, “Traders printed offences involving financial mismanagement and breakdown of security structure against the chairman, circulated it round the market before the protest. We have set up a 6 man peace committee with two weeks to give the report, which was thwarted by a faction supporting the Chairman.
According to the BOT Chairman, Alamanjo has taken the market association to court claiming that a meeting was held without his consent.
He said that the litigation against the market was thrown back to the police to investigate and report back to the court for further action.
Cajethan said, ” the market is at a stand still today with no trade transactions to force Almanjo out of office since he has refused to vacate after the expiration of his tenure since May, 2022.
Also the traders are angry over insecurity in the market despite paying security levy of N2,000 monthly.
‘Some part of a building project within the market was pulled down by a faction working for the on-going Chairman, making traders to feel that their goods and the over 5,000 lockup stalls are no more secured.”
The former Secretary General of Kugbo market, Oyekachi Agu, who sells automobile electrical spare parts told Daybreak that the protest is because Ebuka Alamanjo who was elected in 2019 has not shown any sign of accountability, no transparency in management of the market.
He pointed out the entrance to the market which has been neglected since Alamanjo became the Chairman of the market. “He has embezzled our money since 2019 till date, he was suspended by the Exco , but he has refused to step aside instead imposing on us, insisting that he must not be investigated.
Another trader who pleaded anonimity, standing at the gate into the market in an angry tone said, ” the market has up to 10 revenue generation avenues like money dues on membership which is N5,000 per person, security levy N400,000, hawkers permit, warehouse N40,000 monthly.”
“These are areas where we generate money, but these monies have been hidden from us. We are demanding accountability, we do not trust him anymore. He has assumed the position of chairman, treasurer and financial secretary, because Alamanjo has hijacked all the positions, this is our annoyance.
Efforts to speak with the chairman was not possible because he could not be reached.
